Ahhh the beauty of having a concealed weapons permit and carrying a concealed weapon.

[trumad]

Man pisses you off, just put a cap in his head. Handguns are wonderful, aren't they? :eyes: BTW: Read this story carefully and check out the stink factor. It's quickly becoming a controversy down in South Florida because it's starting to look like a police cover-up. Commenter's on this story are calling Bullshit. They say this agent was on duty but why did he have his 12 year old daughter in his car--- why did this agent follow this man into the post office parking lot? The police are saying it was some type of law enforcement action--- but the agent was a polygraph examiner. Some commenter's think the agent was in total rage and used his agent status to bully the old man. This story does kind of stink. Here's a link to the comment section of the Miami Herald: http://pod01.prospero.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?msg=53154&nav=messages&webtag=kr-miamitm

Pembroke Pines - Both men flashed the middle finger to each other as they drove in a game of chicken, one pulling in front of the other and slamming on his brakes.

The road rage that morning spilled into a post office parking lot, and a federal agent was shot dead.

James Patrick Wonder, a 65-year-old Miramar retiree, was moved to the Broward County jail Thursday afternoon on a charge of premeditated murder in the shooting death of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agent Donald Pettit. The two men didn't know each other, but live within two miles of each other and are both described by neighbors and friends as calm, pleasant people.

Police said Tuesday morning, as the two argued in the parking lot, Wonder pulled a gun from his waistband, flicked off the safety and shot Pettit in the back of the head.

Police released new information about the case at a Thursday afternoon news conference, revealing that Pettit pulled into the parking lot after Wonder had already done so. Police couldn't say why.

Investigators said Wonder admitted shooting Pettit. Police said one of several guns recovered at his home may have been used in the shooting. Wonder had a valid concealed weapons license at the time of the shooting.

Relatives at Wonder's home declined to comment Thursday. A voice over an intercom said, "Mr. Wonder isn't home right now. We aren't answering any questions."

Police said Wonder was running late Tuesday morning for treatment at the Universal Kidney Center of Davie when he and Pettit exchanged obscene gestures along Dykes Road. Pembroke Pines Deputy Chief Mike Segarra said Wonder pulled in front of Pettit and slammed on the brakes.

When they reached the post office at Pines Boulevard, Wonder pulled into the parking lot from Dykes Road. His arrest report said Pettit continued on Dykes, turned onto Pines Boulevard and then pulled into the post office parking lot. Both men got out, argued and Pettit was shot.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbagent0808sbaug08,0,3701323.story

[hobbit709]

1. Stupidity doesn't need a permit.

[annabanana]

3. Which is worse... "stupid" or homicidal? Does "stupid" carry the death penalty?

just asking

[hobbit709]

5. You do something stupid enough, you run a good chance of dying.

"Stupidity is the only universal capital crime, and sentence is carried out with no hope of appeal."-L.L.

[annabanana]

7. Who is "L.L.", and which statute is he quoting?..

Also.. please give legal definition of "stupid"..

[hobbit709]

16. There is no "legal" definition

Doing something like antagonizing a tiger is defined as stupid. Aggravating a rattlesnake, jumping off a bridge with too long of a bungee cord. Sometimes arguing over nothing with someone packing heat. Going out the airlock without your pressure seals tight is stupid.

[annabanana]

24. how are you supposed to know it's a tiger if it's "concealed"?

Also.. How do you KNOW you're being "annoying"?.. Maybe it wouldn't annoy him.. or wouldn't annoy him "that much"..

[liberal N proud]

2. Hand guns, a wonderful solution to road rage

Looks like the return of the wild west. Justice at the end of a gun barrel.

[trumad]

4. Oh but in Florida

you have no problem carrying one....

[liberal N proud]

6. Makes for a dangerous situation

Piss me off and I will shoot you mentality. Why waste time blowing your horn.

We all need to think twice next time we do get pissed at the moron who cuts you off, blow your horn and he may pull his 57 Mag.

[KG]

8. see? CCW is nothing to worry about! just another one of those wonderful

law abiding gun owners, till he wasn't. :eyes:

[Obamanaut]

9. I doubt that possession (or lack of) a concealed weapon permit

has drastically changed the number of weapons being carried in automobiles/pick-up trucks. The permit is just a piece of paper, and does not automatically enhance the owners level of intelligence or self-control.

Nor does a knife in a bus.

[opihimoimoi]

10. Could he be suffering from not having his blood cleaned at the kidney center???

[CanonRay]

17. I want you on my jury.

[opihimoimoi]

28. LOL.....everyone is ready to hang the dude...might be a psychological prob...of the debiliating type

[Loudmxr]

11. We don't need no stinkin' concealed weapons permit in California.

Really y'know if someone is behaving like a butt hole then they must just be having a bad day. Or else THEY'VE GOT A GUN!!!!!

So we chill.:scared:

[aikoaiko]

27. Californians chill? Y'all invented highway road rage shootings.

eta: oooops. I get your post now. I thought you were saying the opposite.

[RandiFan1290]

12. Two morons went looking for trouble

and they both found it. What kind of a father takes part in this type of childish behavior with his daughter in the car?

[TexasObserver]

13. Everyone involved will get what they have coming.

The agent was clearly being a self important asshole, as I'm sure he has been many times, chasing down some old fart that pissed him off. Except this old fart was packing heat. There is a lesson from chronic jackasses and men who abuse the badge. That lesson is: you get the back of your head blown off for being that way.

The old man who did this has finished his life. It's over. He'll be railroaded and convicted of a worse crime than he committed. The police will lie. The prosecutor will lie. Instead of convicting the guy of manslaughter or a lesser offense than capital murder, they'll try to make it the killing of a police officer while on duty. It's a lie, but police and prosecutors have become so accustomed to lying to make cases, that will not slow them down.

The officer didn't deserve to die, but he did bring into his life the man who would kill him, by being a prick who thinks just because he's got a badge, he has a right to whip it out and hassle drivers who piss him off.

The good news? Two less major assholes on the road driving today.

[Malikshah]

14. Yup-- living down here and being a mile or so from the scene of the "events"

It has been fascinating to see the local coverage. They are palpably upset that it wasn't some sort of nefarious drug-dealer/illegal immigrant purveyor/pedophile that "did the deed".

They're beginning to scramble to justify their pitchfork and torch mentality and their lionizing of the victim as Sgt. York reborn.

Be sure, though. A crime was committed. Wonder killed a man. Both appeared to have been armed. This looks a lot like a potential "black eye" for the "He's comin right at me" Law of Shoot first and ask questions later down here in Florida....

[RandiFan1290]

15. I am in West Palm Beach

and I saw the black hawk helicopters making their way down south after this happened. I didn't know what happened and I thought there was some kind of war games going on. It must have looked like downtown Baghdad there. I also heard some reports on the radio of people being dragged out of their cars if they were in a Chrysler 300.

[Malikshah]

19. Yes-- it was a bit chaotic and draconian for a bit.

While it is tragic for the family of the slain officer (especially his daughter who witnessed the whole event), the response down here was sadly predictable.

There are definitely two types of police work/justice down here in South Florida.

A man in my city might be gunned down in a hail of bullets by a SWAT team (while in his home at 3 a.m. w/ a registered weapon) and little if anything is done (there's more to the story and the SWAT team was clearly led by Col. Flagg from M*A*S*H*), but in a clear case of two individuals who needed a time out, we get a this sturm und drang opera in the media, citizens being man handled and folks left to answer the questions:

1) What was said b/w the two involved
2) Why was he on duty and yet has his child w/ him in the car
3) What role will the "Old West" gun laws play in this affair

[isentropic]

18. Wouldn't it be great if only government agents could be armed?

...

[-..__...]

21. The shooter is royally screwed.

Shooting a federal agent on federal property.

[isentropic]

26. Yup. Unfortunately.

:shrug:

[-..__...]

20. Ahhh the beauty of having a drivers license and being behind the wheel of an automobile..

There needs to be stricter regulations, requirements and background checks before anyone is issued the damn things and allowed to drive on public roads.

[trumad]

23. Well aren't there?

Isn't it tougher to get a drivers license than a concealed gun license?

[-..__...]

25. Depends on the state.

Point is... I don't see anyone expressing anger/frustration that these two pinheads both had drivers licenses, and both acted in an irresponsible and dangerous manner (ending in murder).

How many road rage incidents occur where an automobile is used as the weapon with tragic/fatal results?

Yet, when that does happen, how many 'car control' advocates come here and vent that we need stronger measures (applicable to everyone), to prevent those incidents from happening?

No system built on trust is perfect... there's always going to be at least a few assholes who will ruin it for everyone else.

[aikoaiko]

22. When two a-holes meet -- such outcomes are not surprising

One of the sad, unintended consquences of allowing people the chance to defend themselves with firearms is that sometimes people will abuse that freedom and use their weapons for criminal activity.

Unless there is more information/evidence that may shed light on self-defensive actions, the shooter should go to prison for a long time.